What is Big Data?

Big Data is defined as a collection of large datasets that cannot be analyzed with normal
statistical methods. The datasets are measured in Exabytes. There are two types of big data:
structured and unstructured.

Structured data are numbers and words that can be easily categorized and analyzed. Unstructured
data can include more complex information that cannot easily be separated into categories or
analyzed numerically. Analysis of unstructured data relies on keywords, which allow users to
filter the data.

Working with Big Data

Not all of the work on big data is automated. Data scientists and data analysts are the workers
that deal with big data. The data is so complex that the workers use software specifically
designed to analyze large, unstructured datasets.

Working with big data includes:

Collection of data

Devising of storing methods

Organization of data

Summary of results

A secondary market for big data has been created by exchanging and sharing data that is useful
for several organizations and not just one.

Big data can be used in:

Business: Businesses base their decisions on data. They can find the improvements
needed for their products. Big data can also help businesses manage their inventories.

E-commerce: Data analysts help a company improve customer service by looking at
customer reviews, comments and suggestions. Analysts also find trends in purchasing or
website traffic.

Healthcare: Big data in healthcare is improving patient monitoring by saving videos from
surgeries and other medical procedures.

Science: Many fields of science produce huge datasets that can help for analysis of
science.

Social networking: Analysts can take big data from social sites to study user preferences.

Telecommunications: Companies can better tailor their services to the customers’
preferences with the use of big data.

Staticians and computer programmers are so important nowadays that their median annual wage
doubles the median annual wage of all workers May 2012.

Challenges Presented by Big Data

The growth of big data has provided new insights but also has presented new challenges to those
who work with it.

Here is a list of challenges:

Funding due to the recession of a couple of years ago

Storage; this data may require hundreds of servers

Finding the usable data among the unusable information

Ensure that the big data is accurately measuring what it is meant to measure

Ownership of data since data is used by several people at the same time

Preparing to Work with Big Data

Coursework in math, statistics and computer programming prepares students to work with big
data. Workers who use big data may also need education in the industry in which they work.
Workers have to also stay updated on the fast-changing world of big data.